


For A Moment

by orphan_account



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, Season/Series 02 Spoilers, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 14:16:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6808552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Look me in the eye, Jim Gordon, and tell me you could have stopped it. That you would help me, and not have me arrested on sight."</p>
            </blockquote>





	For A Moment

"Jim?"

 He looks up to see Oswald standing in the doorway, and gives a rueful smile. The outlaw takes that as an invitation to step inside and pull the door gently shut.

"Lee will be here soon," Oswald says. 

 "Thanks." Jim sighs, tiredly rubs his face. "Sure you're ready for this?"

_Stupid question._

 The answering quirk of the lips is not enough to extinguish the cold rage still burning in Penguin's eyes. "I've been ready since I was forced to watch my mother taken hostage," he replies, keeping his voice steady and toneless.

 Jim swallows, can't help the pity that wells up inside him. He asks the question he's been thinking since he watched Oswald's heart break- _he killed my mother, Jim -_  "Why didn't you come to me?"

 Oswald laughs; a hollow, terrifying sound.

"I could've helped you," and Jim's the only one lying here, mostly to himself.

 The disgraced King of Gotham narrows his eyes. He leans back against the bedside table, very close to where Jim is sitting.

"I found her, you know," he speaks eventually, almost conversational. "Butch told me where she was, so I went. And Galavan-" there is concentrated venom in his voice as he utters that name. "He was there. It was a trap. But I begged, Jim, I begged for her life in exchange for mine."

 Gordon cannot look away. He doesn't quite know what he's witnessing but it's like watching a vengeful angel and it's damn  _beautiful._

"I thought he would let her go. Just for a moment, she ran to me and I held her," Oswald whispers, knuckles white, fists clenched. His voice cracks. "So they put a knife in her back."

 There is a deathly silence and no one moves. 

 "My mother bled to death," Penguin tells him, the picture of calmness again. He suddenly catches hold of Jim's wrist in an iron grip. "Look me in the eye, Jim Gordon, and tell me you could have stopped it. That you would help me, and not have me arrested on sight."

 A beat, where Jim's voice just won't work and then Oswald is releasing his wrist and standing up. 

"Oswald-" Jim tries.

 Penguin smiles humorlessly. "Good luck, old friend."

 The rest of the night is a blur, a chaotic jumble of adrenaline, pain, confusion, anger and pain, but Jim won't forget that haunting look for a long time.

 *

"That's  _enough!"_ Jim shouts, wrenching Oswald away.

 When he shoots Galavan, he feels nothing. Not guilt or satisfaction. They stand together for a moment, catching their breath and gathering their thoughts. Jim knows this is a turning point.

"Oswald."

 The criminal turns, fixes him with that pale and empty stare. 

"Yes," Jim says simply. "I would have helped you."

 He watches Oswald exhale, simultaneously thawing his ice heart and blink back tears. He moves forward but it's Jim who pulls him closer. After a second of hesitation, Oswald's arms circle round the detective's waist tightly and he rests his head on Jim's chest.

 They don't speak, because if does go on long enough to make denying its intimacy impossible, if they'd be lying if they haven't thought of each other, if they separate with Jim placing an impulsive, chaste kiss on Oswald's lips- it doesn't need to be mentioned.

 


End file.
